Improvement in toilet-stand bedsteads



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UNITED STATES PATENT EETCE.

CHARLES SCHWARTZ AND CHARLES E. VOODS, OF HENDERSON, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN TOILET-STAND BEDSTEADS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 158,986, dated January19,1876; application led May 25, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES ScHwAETz and CHARLES EWUODS, both ofHenderson, Henderson county, Kentucky, have invented a new and usefulCombined Toilet-Stand and Bed, of which the following is aspecification:

This invention relates to an article of household furniture, which, whenin its normal position, has the appearance ot a toilet-stand or:dressing-case, yet is capable of being opened in such a manner as toassume the shape of a bed, which may be sufficiently capacious toaccommodate two adults; and our improvement consists in the application,to such a combined stand and bed, of an automatic flap, which serves tohold the bedding in its proper position when the bed-frame is erect.This flap is hinged to the head-board of the bed-frame, and is connectedto the back of the toilet-stand with a band or strap, in suchl a manneras to cause said flap to be automatically opened when the bed-frame isbrought to a horizontal position. As soon as the bedframe is restored toits erect position this ap is automatically brought to bear against thebedding, and thereby prevent any displacement of the same. Thisautomatically opening and closing ap adds greatly to the facility withwhich such combined articles of furniture can be manipulated, and itsuse enables us to dispense entirely with bars or other heavy retainingdevices, which increase the weight of the bed-frame to such an extent asto render it an impossibility for women to handle it.

Having thus brieliy indicated the feature of our invention, we will nowproceed to give a detailed description of the same.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of ourcombined toilet-stand and bed in its normal or closed condition. Fig. 2is a vertical section through the same in the plane of one of its hingedlegs. Fig. 3 is another vertical section through the article offurniture, showing the bed-frame in the act of being lowered to avhorizontal position; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of our article offurniture in its opened condition, and ready for use as a bed.

The xed frame of the device consists of a base, A, two side-boards, BB', a back, C, and

ing from the rails F F', and near the headboard G, are two lugs orpins,ff', that are adapted to traverse the grooves b b', the latterbeing formed upon the inner sides of the boards B B', as clearly shownin Figs. 3 and and 4. This arrangement of guiding grooves and pinsenables the movable section to be raised and lowered with the greatestfacility, while at the same time it is confined to a proper path, andnot allowed to become detached from the liXed or supporting frame. Themovable section or bed-frame E F F' Gr H is to be furnished with amattress, I, that may be supported either upon slats J, as seen in Fig;3,

or else simply' laid within said frame, as shown A in Fig. 2.

1n order to maintain the mattress and bedclothes securely in theirproper positions, we hinge to the head-board, at g, a ap, K, which mayeither be a solid board or it may bev an open frame-work, as representedin Fig. 4. Attached to this flap, at 7c, and also to the back of the xedframe, at c, is a strap or band, L, which gradually raises said flap toan erect position, while the movable section E F F' G His being turneddown horizontally for use as a bed, as shown in Fig. 3. The front E ispaneled at e, for the reception of a mirror, M, and attached to saidfront is a shelf, N,

beneath which is a drawer, n. This provisionv ofthe mirror, shelf, anddrawer imparts to the article of furniture, when closed, the appearanceof a toilet-stand or dressing-case, which convenient arrangementenhances the utility of the device. The front is slotted at c' e" forthe reception of pivoted legs O O', which gradually turn upon theirpintles o, as the movable section is lowered, until they assume theposition shown in Fig. 4, in which position they serve to support thefoot of the bed-frame.

It' preferred, the legs O 0' may have sockets P attached to them for thesupport of a lamp or candle bracket, Q, which bracket can be readilyunshipped from said socket before the bed-frame is turned down.

The base A may be provided with grooves or tracks to receive rollersattached to the head-board G, so as to diminish friction, and therebyfacilitate the handling of frame E F F G H.

The operation is as follows: When the article of furniture is in itsnormal or compact condition, (shown in Fig. 1,) the bedding is entirelyconcealed and maintained in position by the flap K. (See Figs. 1 and 2.)As soon,

however, as the movable section E F F G H is turned down the flap Kgradally turns upon its pivots g, and When said section has reached ahorizontal position the ap is Vertical, as shown in Fig. 4.

We claim as our invention- In combination With the fixed frame A B B',provided with guiding-grooves b b' and the movable frame E F F Gr,having; lugs f f', Working in the grooves b b, the flap K, hinged to thehead-board G, and connected by a strap, L, to the back C, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony of Which invention Wehereun to set our hands.

CHARLES SCHWARTZ. CHS. E. WOODS.

Attestr GEO. H. KNIGHT, J. E. DENTON.

